It’s that time of the year again! And what better way to celebrate than taking a look at these blasts from the Silver Age commemorating the holidays!
Teen Titans #13
Cover artist Nick Cardy took a wicked spin on the traditional Christmas tree by using it as the shape to showcase the Titans trapped by a mound of miscellaneous items that one might find in a scrap shop. This one was published in 1967, at the height of the go-go Sixties. Sales this year include a 9.4 going for $1,440 – by far the highest price paid in the grade, a 9.2 for $336 – about what you would expect to pay, and a 7.5 for $138. With a CGC population of just 45 copies, there aren’t a ton to go around, so be sure to shop carefully if you’re looking to consider this as a gift for your favorite collector.
Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #10
Nothing says Christmas like the Hate Monger. Frank Springer utilized an ornament motif for this cover, one that really gives it that holiday feeling. There are 172 graded copies in CGC’s latest population count of this 1968 classic, as well as a handful of CBCS graded copies. Sales this year show this to be a fairly cheap comic, with prices paid ranging from $250 for a 9.4 to just $45 for a 5.0.
Woody Woodpecker Christmas Parade #1
The year 1968 also gave us this timeless Gold Key cover. It’s a beautiful Christmas-themed painted cover by an unknown artist. Its publication date puts it near the end of popular funny animal/cartoon related comics of any relevance or importance. As such, the CGC census count is quite low, with just 11 copies, and none from the other graders. Additionally, low grade copies haven’t been sent in for grading; the lowest graded copy is an 8.5. There have been no sales this year. The highest price paid was a surprising $720 for one of only two 9.8s in a 2023 Heritage auction.
The Littlest Snowman #1
Based on the book by Charles Tazewell, this has to be one of the nicest, most saccharine Christmas comics ever created. The cover artist of this 1963 Dell publication is, unfortunately, unknown. There are only nine graded copies in existence, and there have only been five recorded sales, none in the past two years. The highest price paid was $110 for a 9.4 in a 2023 Heritage auction. This one would be a tremendous hunt, but should you find a copy, it could be quite affordable.
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians #1
If you’re looking for an offbeat Silver Age comic this holiday season, this one is for you. Based on a 1964 low budget kids film of the same name, this comic was published by Dell a year later. The film has since become a public domain cult classic. There are 15 graded copies in the CGC census, including a lone signature series 4.5 signed by actress Piz Zadora who made her film debut as Girmar, a Martian girl in the film. There are, additionally, a few CBCS graded copies. Sales this year include an 8.5 going for a slashed $250 in February, and a 4.5 selling for just $31 in November. The record setter was a 9.0 that sold for $384 in a 2023 Heritage auction. There are two top-of-census 9.2 graded copies, one of which last sold in a 2017 Heritage auction for $359.
If you’re a completist, know that there is also a copy that accompanied a Golden Record published at the same time. It can be identified by the blank spaces in the upper left underneath the Dell logo that typically contain the 12-cent price and a publication code.
